Life in the UK Test 37

The Laurence Olivier Awards take place annually at different venues in London. There are a variety of categories, including best director, best actor and best actress. The awards are named after the British actor Sir Laurence Olivier, later Lord Olivier, who was best known for his roles in various Shakespeare plays.

Political parties are particularly busy at election times. Members work hard to persuade people to vote for their candidates – for instance, by handing out leaflets in the street or by knocking on people’s doors and asking for their support. This is called ‘canvassing’.

It’s a donation, thus it’s not compulsory. Donated blood is used by hospitals to help people with a wide range of injuries and illnesses. Giving blood only takes about an hour to do.

Halloween, 31 October, is an ancient festival and has roots in the pagan festival to mark the beginning of winter. A lot of people carve lanterns out of pumpkins and put a candle inside.

Anglo-Saxon kings continued to rule what is now England, except for a short period when there were Danish kings. The first of these was Cnut, also called Canute.

Roald Dahl was born in Wales to Norwegian parents. His best-known works include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and George’s Marvellous Medicine.

Gilbert and Sullivan wrote comic operas, often making fun of popular culture and politics. These operas include HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado.

John Barbour wrote in Scots Gaelic a poem called The Bruce about the Battle of Bannockburn.

If your vehicle is over three years old, you must take it for a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test every year. It is an offence not to have an MOT certificate if your vehicle is more than three years old.

Queen Victoria introduced the Victoria Cross medal during the Crimean war. It honours acts of valour by soldiers.

The opposition form the shadow cabinet and their role is to challenge the government and put forward alternative policies.

In 1851, the Great Exhibition opened in Hyde Park in the Crystal Palace, a huge building made of steel and glass. Exhibits ranged from huge machines to handmade goods. Countries from all over the world showed their goods but most of the objects were made in Britain.

The Domesday Book gives a picture of society in England just after the Norman Conquest.

People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA)  is the charity that works with animals

The Queen has reigned since her father’s death in 1952. Her eldest son, Prince Charles (the Prince of Wales), is the heir to the throne.

Sir Kingsley Amis (1922–95) was an English novelist and poet. He wrote more than 20 novels. The most well-known is ‘Lucky Jim’

In the 19th century, the medieval ‘gothic’ style became popular once again.

In May 1660, Parliament invited Charles II to come back from exile in the Netherlands. He was crowned King Charles II of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The first formal anti-slavery groups were set up by the Quakers in the late 1700s, and they petitioned Parliament to ban the practice.

Swansea is a Welsh city.

The Scottish Grand National takes place at Ayr.

Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan, when Muslims have fasted for a month. They thank Allah for giving them the strength to complete the fast.

A British sailor, Sir Francis Chichester, was the first person to sail single-handed around the world

The British team used a sheep for the first mammal cloning and the sheep was called Dolly